Government
International relations
US Government Clothes Producer Denies Abuses
A representative of the Zongtex Garment Manufacturing company in Phnom Penh on Tuesday denied employing workers as young as 15 to make U.S. government clothing, following an exposé by The New York Times on poor standards in factories producing U.S. government attire. On Sunday, The Times ...
Khy Sovuthy and Joshua Wilwohl
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/business/us-government-clothes-producer-denies-abuses-49654/
Premier’s Vietnam Visit Draws Opposition Ire
Prime Minister Hun Sen is scheduled to pay a three-day visit to Vietnam later this week, a move criticized by opposition officials who say the premier should stay in Cambodia to deal with the country’s ongoing political deadlock. “What is necessary at this time is to ...
Sok Khemara
http://www.voacambodia.com/content/premier-vietnam-visit-draws-opposition-ire/1816809.html
EU clarifies rice comments
While the European Union Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht never told the Ministry of Commerce that Cambodian rice was “30 per cent” mixed with the same product from Vietnam, he did say Cambodia had to better ensure that its harvest was homegrown and not from ...
Eddie Morton and May Kunmakara
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/eu-clarifies-rice-comments
Malaysia Fails to Guarantee Cambodian Maids’ Human Rights
The Ministry of Labor hopes that a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) will see Cambodia resume sending domestic workers to Malaysia by February, but negotiations on the document have stalled after Malaysia recently rejected 90 percent of proposed provisions to protect workers’ rights. Most strikingly, Malaysia ...
Matt Blomberg and Khy Sovuthy
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/malaysia-fails-to-guarantee-cambodian-maids-human-rights-49629/
French give $26 million for irrigation
The French Agency for Development will provide $26 million in loans to the Cambodian government to rehabilitate irrigation systems across three provinces in the northwest. Speaking at the signing ceremony for the deal yesterday, Aun Pornmoniroth, the Minister of Economy and Finance, said the new systems ...
Chan Muy Hong
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/french-give-26-million-irrigation
BIDV to open in Phnom Penh
A subsidiary of the Bank for Investment and Development of Viet Nam (BIDV) opened its seventh branch in Mean Chey District, Phnom Penh, on Sunday. The new branch is also expected to meet local demand and boost the development of trade and investment ties between ...
The Cambodia Herald News Staff
http://www.thecambodiaherald.com/cambodia/detail/1?page=13&token=YTY2YzNlODE3YTk
Turkey, Czech open embassies in Cambodia
The countries of Turkey and the Czech Republic have opened permanent embassies in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, according to Koy Kuong, spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation on Wednesday. ...
The Cambodia Herald News Staff
http://www.thecambodiaherald.com/cambodia/detail/1?page=11&token=MTNjNDhiOWY2MzY
Cambodia Rejects Rice Contamination Claims by EU
The Cambodian government and rice exporters have dismissed allegations that rice exports to the European Union (EU) countries are contaminated with rice from Vietnam. Commerce Ministry representative told local sources that while it is true that some Cambodia rice is processed in Vietnam to match ...
Oryza News Staff
http://oryza.com/news/cambodia-rejects-rice-contamination-claims-eu
Cambodian PM to visit Vietnam to boost bilateral ties
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen will pay a three-day official visit to Vietnam from Dec. 26 in order to further enhance ties and cooperation between the two neighbors, according to a news statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday. The visit plan came at ...
Xinhuanet News Staff
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/world/2013-12/23/c_132989051.htm
Cambodia new ministry on oil, gas
Cambodian lawmakers on Friday endorsed the setting up of a new ministry specifically in charge of mines and energy, in the hope that oil and gas production will finally get under way in the next couple of years. The new Ministry of Mines and Energy will ...
Bangkok Post News Staff
http://www.bangkokpost.com/business/news/386021/cambodia-sets-up-new-ministery-in-charge-of-oil-gas-production
Rights Group Calls for Investigation of Thai Casino Torture Case
Local human rights group Adhoc has called on the government to investigate the alleged detention and torture of a Cambodian woman at a Bangkok casino where she was employed. In a statement released Friday, Adhoc said the government must push for a “full investigation” into the ...
Lauren Crothers
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/rights-group-calls-for-investigation-of-thai-casino-torture-case-49552/
Cambodia’s Deportation of Uighurs to China Remembered
Four years after the forcible deportation of 20 Uighur asylum seekers from Cambodia to China, an advocacy group has said it remains “deeply concerned” about their fate and has called on China to lift a veil of secrecy surrounding their treatment. In a statement, the World ...
Lauren Crothers
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/cambodias-deportation-of-uighurs-to-china-remembered-49549/
EU Alleges Up to 30% of Cambodia Rice Imports Mixed With Vietnam Rice
The Alliance of Rice Producers and Exporters of Cambodia (ARPEC) has proposed a “Code of Conduct” for rice exporters of the country to prevent contamination of rice from other origins in rice exports to EU member countries. Under the Everything But Arms (EBA) trade ...
Oryza
http://oryza.com/news/eu-alleges-30-cambodia-rice-imports-are-mixed-vietnam-rice
USAID Review of Health NGO Finds Litany of Irregularities
A financial review by USAID, the U.S. government’s development arm, into local health NGO Reproductive and Child Health Alliance (RACHA) has found financial mismanagement coupled with a lack of transparency and oversight within the organization that may point to evidence of fraudulent activity. Well-known for its ...
Simon Henderson and Kuch Naren
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/usaid-review-of-health-ngo-finds-litany-of-irregularities-49464/
CAMBODIA: Better Factories programme renewed
The Better Factories Cambodia programme has been renewed after a new, three-year Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was agreed. The new agreement, aimed at furthering the initiative’s mission to improve working conditions in Cambodian garment factories, was signed by the International Labour Organization (ILO), the Cambodian Ministry ...
Richard Woodard
http://www.just-style.com/news/better-factories-programme-renewed_id120127.aspx
Yearender: Cambodia's economy remains strong in 2013 despite political row, flood havoc: officials
Cambodia’s economy is expected to maintain the robust growth of over 7 percent this year even though the country is still trapped in political dispute and recovering from the aftermath of recent floods, senior officials and bankers said. But some analysts predicted that political trouble, coupled ...
Nguon Sovan and Wang Qibing
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/business/2013-12/19/c_132979125.htm
Rights Group Reaffirms Stance on Use of ‘Yuon’
The Cambodian Center for Human Rights (CCHR) on Wednesday released a statement seeking to clarify an open letter it issued on December 12, which accused CNRP President Sam Rainsy of making comments that are “both derogatory and discriminatory, againstpeople of Vietnamese origin.” The original letter, signed ...
Matt Blomberg
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/rights-group-reaffirms-stance-on-use-of-yuon-49477/
Special Economic Zone Strike in Svay Rieng Ends—For Now
An estimated 30,000 garment factory workers will resume work this morning after three days of strike action ended Wednesday when Svay Rieng provincial officials promised to help the strikers achieve their demands from factory owners. The mass strike led the owner of the Tai Seng Special ...
Aun Pheap and Phann Ana
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/special-economic-zone-strike-in-svay-rieng-ends-for-now-49469/
GMS Countries To Explore Tourism Linkages In Annual Meeting
Member states of the Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS) will meet at an annual meeting in Hanoi on Dec 19 to explore measures to embrace tourism linkages, Vietnam News Agency (VNA) reported. Cao Van Ban, development assistance committee head of Vietnam-Laos-Cambodia Association for Economic Cooperation Development (VILACAED), ...
Bernama News Staff
http://www.bernama.com.my/bernama/v7/wn/newsworld.php?id=1001973
Myanmar, Cambodia Sign Visa Exemption Agreement
Myanmar and Cambodia have signed an agreement on visa exemption for ordinary passport holders travelling between both countries, Xinhua news agency reported. The agreement was signed by Myanmar Deputy Foreign Minister U Tin Oo Lwin and Cambodian Ambassador to Myanmar Sieng Burvuthin Nay Pyi Taw on ...
Bernama News Staff
http://www.bernama.com.my/bernama/v7/wn/newsworld.php?id=1001919
Official Says ‘Strategic Partnership’ With Japan Won’t Irk China
Returning from a state visit to Japan on Tuesday, a member of Prime Minister Hun Sen’s government dismissed the possibility that newly upgraded ties with Japan and Cambodia’s decision to join its Asean neighbors in a “freedom of overflight” pact with Tokyo might strain its ...
Phorn Bopha
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/official-says-strategic-partnership-with-japan-wont-irk-china-49410/
Cambodia seeks collaboration despite criticism of Lower Se San 2 hydro project
Cambodia is moving forward with development of the Lower Se San 2 hydropower project and is seeking support from surrounding nations. A spirit of collaboration was established on Tuesday at a meeting between Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud, Tourism Minister Dr. Thong Khon and ...
HydroWorld News Staff
http://www.hydroworld.com/articles/2013/12/cambodia-seeks-collaboration-despite-criticism-of-lower-se-san-2-hydro-project.html
Cambodia Upgrades Diplomatic Relations With Japan
Prime Minister Hun Sen agreed to upgrade Cambodia’s diplomatic relations with Japan to a “strategic level” during talks in Tokyo on Sunday, but also thanked his Japanese counterpart, Shinzo Abe, for making efforts to mend relations with neighbor China, according to media reports. During a state ...
Phorn Bopha and Zsombor Peter
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/cambodia-upgrades-diplomatic-relations-with-japan-49386/
Mekong Countries Agree to Expedite Dam Study
The Mekong River Commission’s (MRC) study on the potential long-term effects of large-scale dam building on the Mekong River needs to be expedited, members of the MRC agreed at the Fifth Mekong-Japan Summit in Tokyo on Saturday. However, they did not set a date for the ...
Simon Henderson
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/mekong-countries-agree-to-expedite-dam-study-49360/